When immobilizing a vehicle so as to thwart unauthorized use of the vehicle, it is desirable that vehicle immobilization be carried out in a safe fashion so as to avoid an accident or injury. If a stolen vehicle were made to come to a sudden stop, for example, not only the driver and any passengers in the vehicle but also innocent passers-by in the vicinity of the vehicle could be injured in the accident that would likely ensue. Similarly, if a vehicle were to be immobilized in a manner that resulted in sudden inability to use brakes and/or steering, for example, this could present a similar hazard. It is therefore preferred that vehicle immobilization be carried out in a fashion that will afford a driver a reasonable chance to safely maneuver the vehicle out of harm's way before the vehicle is completely immobilized.
To avoid damage to the vehicle and/or voiding of vehicle warranties, it is furthermore desirable to carry out vehicle immobilization in a manner approved by the vehicle manufacturer.
Furthermore, in the case of carnapping/carjacking or other situations where a vehicle is being commandeered by force while the authorized driver is still present or nearby, it is desirable that immobilization of the vehicle be carried out in delayed fashion to afford a reasonable chance that the authorized driver can get away or otherwise not be present at the time of vehicle immobilization so as to avoid acts of retribution or attempts at coercion as the unauthorized driver seeks to regain control of the vehicle.
Moreover, in such situations where a vehicle is being commandeered by force while the authorized driver is still present or nearby, it is desirable that vehicle immobilization be carried out in a manner credibly attributable to a genuine vehicle fault condition. Doing so allows the authorized driver to plausibly deny that the authorized driver initiated vehicle immobilization or that the authorized driver has the ability to return the vehicle to normal control.
Although various strategies have been proposed for vehicle immobilization, there remains a heretofore unaddressed need in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.